Many parts profiles that require to be cut from large plates require various types of processes to be performed on each part. Typically these processes require the plate being cut to be supported horizontally by a cutting table.
Many parts or profiles that require to be cut from large metal plates are supported by a cutting table having table supports, of steel and require various types of processes to be performed on each part on a profile cutting machine. Typically the part will require a process to sever the part profile from a parent plate such as by thermal cutting means.
Typically on a profile cutting machine, the bridge of the machine is often fitted with oxy fuel and plasma cutting torches and can also be fitted with high speed spindles for machining operation.
Currently cutting tables are made by making a frame or structure which then supports a platform of sacrificial steel slats that deteriorate over time as plates are cut above them. Typically to support thick steel of up to 12″ thick requires the frame of the cutting table to be fabricated and welded with skilled workers and generally requires that the frame is manufactured from heavy structural steel sections.
Typically the cutting tables that cut the thick plates (which can be called heavy plate) are between 8′ and 12′ wide and often have lengths from 20′ to 200′ long. Due to the size of these cutting tables it is very difficult to transport assembled cutting tables and so these tables require significant on site assembly and fabrication requiring highly skilled on site final assembly.
Cutting machines that are fitted with oxy fuel torches only do not generally require fume extraction as the fumes generated are minimal. Cutting machines that use plasma cutting torches often generate significant amounts of fumes and require that these fumes are extracted to a filter system that removes the fumes and exhausts clean air. Cutting tables for heavy plate means that many cutting table support legs are required which makes it too difficult to extract the fumes from underneath the table.
In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.
Object
It is an object of the invention is to enable large cutting tables sufficiently strong to support thick plate to be manufactured off site and sent to the customer for simple assembly and reduces the onsite time by skilled workers. Additionally the cutting table is manufactured from modular parts manufactured from flat steel plate rather than requiring structural sections to cope with the very high loads due to the plate loading.